CAPT Academic Course Catalog


INTRO TO COMMUNICATIONS
Introduction to Communications is a primary course that introduces new CAPT students to the structure and services offered by the National Air Traffic Control (ATC) System. Students are given a top-down overview of ATC including the national command center, the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Terminal Radar Control Center (TRACON), the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and Flight Service Stations (FSS). Students also are introduced to the common language and phraseology of air traffic control and practice correct communication techniques through a series of lab exercises.

HUMAN FACTORS
The CAPT Human Factors course includes the ergonomic and cognitive impact of aviation systems design, the effects of corporate/federal policy, procedures and regulations, and the influence of corporate culture in commercial airline safety and operations. The study of a number of commercial airline accidents reveals how the industry has used the above to improve safeguards to help prevent crew error. The course objective is to have the CAPT student become intimately familiar with problems that have arisen in the past with other crews so he/she may recognize a potential problem and mitigate the outcome.

CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The CAPT Crew Resource Management course defines a large source of "tools" available to a commercial airline crew which may be used to optimize the person/machine interface, to acquire relevant information in a timely manner, to use appropriate leadership styles, to effectively form and maintain a team which can quickly identify and communicate problems, to use a simple and easy tool to maintain situation awareness, to discover potential or immediate threats, and then make effective decisions while efficiently managing the resources. The course analyzes aircraft accidents and events using various media and crew role-play. The objective of this course is to strengthen pilot decision-making and to provide the CAPT student with simple, effective tools to manage all resources involved in flying an aircraft safely and efficiently from departure point to destination.

COMMERCIAL AIRLINE OPS
The Commercial Airline Operations course introduces the organizational structure of an airline and how crewmembers can function effectively within this environment. It identifies the various departments and describes the function of the departments and the relevance to the crew. This includes: Dispatch, Crew Scheduling, Gate and Ramp Operations In-flight, Maintenance, Catering, and Company Tower. Other components are the company management organizational structure, the union organizational structure, the flight training requirements, the FAR 121 regulations, the pilot contracts, the flight operations manual contents, the pilot handbook information, and the typical airline policies and procedures.

MULTI ENGINE
The multi-engine ground course focuses on theoretical and operational topics involving multi-twin engine aircraft. The course covers multi-engine theory and aerodynamics, performance, aircraft systems and systems integration. Discussions are scenario driven to help cadets develop sound decision making skills critical to flight safety.

AVIATION SAFETY
The Commercial Aviation Safety Course introduces to the CAPT student the principles and practices of aviation safety in both the flight training as well as the commercial air transport arenas. CAPT students are introduced to a wide range of safety related subject matter including controlled flight into terrain, crew resource management, wake turbulence and upset, aeronautical decision making, collision avoidance, prevention of runway incursions, spatial disorientation, human factors, and the history of both early and the more recent aviation safety regulations. CAPT students are also exposed to many of the current safety programs used by the airline industry today such as ASAP, AQP, ASRA, FOQA, and the LOSA. CAPT students also analyze case studies of high profile aircraft accidents that occurred as a result of human factors, maintenance, or weather. CAPT 403 provides our CAPT students with the tools to build a strong safety foundation for a successful professional aviation career.

APPLIED METEOROLOGY
Applied Meteorology is the last of the lower level courses given during the cadet's piston phase of training. The course includes in-depth discussions on surface analysis charts and weather depiction charts including topics such as station models, NWS symbols, isobars, temperature advection, winds in the friction layer and hazardous surface weather to aviation. The course introduces the three-dimensional aspects of meteorology through discussion and analysis of constant pressure charts including topics such as thickness advection, jet streams, clear air turbulence (CAT), vorticity and convergence and divergence. In the third section of the course, students discuss and analyze the causes and effects of large mid-latitude cyclones, which include topics such as normal and severe thunderstorms and wind shear flight escape techniques. In addition, in this section, students are introduced to ground-based weather technology such as Doppler Radar (NEXRAD) and the Low-Level Windshear Alerting System (LLWAS). Finally, students are asked to give a presentation on a weather related aircraft accident event discussing the meteorological information as it relates to the accident.

TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND PLANNING
This is a detailed study in FAR 121 transport aircraft performance and planning using Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Written Exam sample problems in B-727, B-737, and DC-9 aircraft. The course includes: Preflight Issues dealing with changes in Center of Gravity / Weight and Balance, Fuel, Runway Performance Data, Takeoff Parameters (balanced field length, V speeds, runway slope, bleed air corrections), Climb, Cruise, Descent, and Landing Performance, and Alternate Diversions. The three main objectives of this course are: to understand how to interpret performance data for transport jet aircraft, to prepare the CAPT student to understand the terminology used in MD-90 performance planning for the type rating oral, and to prepare the CAPT student for the ATP written exam.

JET TRANSPORT AVIONICS
This advanced avionics course will introduce the CAPT student to Extended Over water Navigation, Global Positioning Satellite Navigation, Flight Management System Navigation, and the integration of advanced avionics with glass panel displays. The course objective is to provide the CAPT student with a familiarity and a knowledge base of systems that will be used in the latest technology aircraft.

PRE-JET TRANSITION
The Pre-Jet Transition course is the CAPT cadet's stepping-stone from light aircraft to turbine-powered aircraft. Advanced instrument training and in-depth crew flight deck training procedures are covered using a High Performance Aircraft Flight Training Device. The objective of this course is to introduce an aircraft with higher performance flight characteristics and to further develop crew procedures used in airline operations.

AVIATION HISTORY AND REGULATIONS
The broad scope of this course examines the evolution of flight from balloons to the Wright Brothers' successful flight and continues through the development of Jumbo Jets and Super Sonic Transports. The path of aviation from the early attempts at achieving flight to the legislation that governs the aviation industry is explored. Emphasis is placed on foreign and domestic aviation regulations and safety including airport development funding legislation, international aviation legislation and the development of navigational aids. Contributions to the growth of commercial aviation by entrepreneurs such as Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, Harry Guggenheim and Juan Trippe are detailed. Pilots participate in open forums, Line Oriented Safety Audit (LOSA) activities and research projects.

FLIGHT PHYSIOLOGY
The objective of this course is to introduce the pilot to the causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of flight environment disorders. Emphasis is placed on the physiological effects that flying imposes on the human body and on safety issues such as fatigue, jet lag, hypoxia, self medication and other related topics. Pilots experience the symptoms of hypoxia and learn to recognize signs of hypoxia in aircrew members through participation in a high altitude training activity. Throughout the course pilots participate in case studies of aircraft accidents where physiological factors were a primary cause.

JET TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
This course will provide the pilot with detailed knowledge of jet transport category aircraft systems. Pilots experienced in piston aircraft systems will find this transition to the more sophisticated jet aircraft systems enlightening and challenging. The major systems of the jet aircraft are explained with emphasis on the location, function and operation of the system and associated components. Pilots learn both normal and emergency system operation scenarios. Procedures discussed in this course are based on commercial operations conducted under 14CFAR Part 135 and 14CFAR Part 121.

BOEING MD-90 GROUND SCHOOL
The CAPT Boeing MD-90 Ground School initially prepares the CAPT student for a DC-9 Series type rating in a MD-90 oral through classroom stand-up lectures, computer based training, home-study, and instruction in a Part Task Trainer, a Flight Deck Procedures Trainer, and a Boeing MD-90 Flight Training Device (FTD). The FTD realistically depicts an operational MD-90 aircraft with "glass instrumentation" allowing the student to experience normal and abnormal training procedures encountered in actual flight. The objective of this four-week course is to prepare the CAPT student to successfully complete a FAA DC-9 Series type rating oral.

BOEING MD-90 FLIGHT COURSE
This course prepares the CAPT student to pass a FAA DC-9 Series in a Boeing MD-90 type rating ride. The primary instruction is given in a CAE built Boeing MD-90 full flight simulator (FFS). The Boeing MD-90 simulator is an FAA "Level D" rated device — the highest rating possible. It accurately and realistically reproduces the flight regime of an aircraft in actual flight. The environmental conditions and systems representations are precisely simulated. The pilots experience a full visual display in day, night, dusk, or dawn lighting with weather such as lightning, turbulence, and wind shear. The aircraft is anchored on a six-axis motion base that simulates conditions in roll, pitch, yaw, and forward lateral movement. In addition to environmental conditions, the device has a full range of system abnormal indications and malfunctions. This allows the pilot to learn emergency procedures in the precise environment he/she could experience in an operational aircraft. The objective of this three-week course is to prepare the pilot for the FAA DC-9 Series type rating ride.

LINE ORIENTED FLIGHT TRAINING (LOFT)
There are three LOFT flights designed to allow the newly rated pilot to experience near normal flights. This includes "on time" departures and arrivals from a point of origin to a first destination with continuing flight operations to a second destination. Each LOFT has two flight segments of approximately two hours in length. The objective of this training is to have the pilot experience a normal operational sequence and learn the duties of the captain when the first officer is flying, and to learn the duties of a first officer when flying.

EMPLOYMENT PROCESSES AND INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES
This final course prepares the CAPT graduate for a successful job search. Instruction includes resume preparation, interview preparation, airline employment processes, job search documentation, and interview techniques. While the CAPT Program will work to place every graduate in an airline position, these skills will nevertheless be essential throughout every pilot's career.